When considering ordering new literacy resources, this research may be helpful in making selections that support student learning (e.g. not whole class novels). This research underlines the connection between student achievement and motivation. As educators, providing classroom resources to support students is a key component in differentiating instruction and providing opportunities for our students to gain the skills necessary to be successful. Perhaps the following 7 "rules" could be used as a checklist to evaluate the reading selections that are offered to our students. These rules also provide some ideas for activities that would engage students and increase their motivation to read. The following is a summary of an article from the Reading Teacher.
Seven Rules of Engagement
What's Most Important to Know About Motivation to Read?
(Reading Teacher, Nov. 2011, vol. 65)
1. Students are more motivated to read when the reading tasks and activities are relevant to their lives
- when students can make connections between the material they are reading and their lives, they become more involved and engaged in comprehending text
- teachers could ask students to keep a reading diary to record how what they are reading connects to their own lives
2. Students are more motivated to read when they have access to a wide range of reading materials
- creating a classroom environment rich in a wide variety of genres which include magazines, the Internet, resource materials and real-life documents
- teachers could do weekly "book-selling sessions" to generate interest in the selection of books available to students because students often select books they know something about
3. Students are more motivated to read when they have ample opportunities to engage in sustained reading
- in a study of classrooms where 90 minutes or more was devoted to reading/language arts instruction, researchers found that students spent an average of only 18 minutes actually engaged in reading texts
- teachers could gradually increase the time for sustained reading starting with 5 or 10 minutes, particularly for students who are not not motivated to read
4. Students are more motivated to read when they have opportunities to make choices about what they read and how they engage in and complete literacy tasks
- researchers have found that students who are allowed to choose their own reading materials are more motivated to read, expend more effort, and gain better understanding of the text
- teachers could help students make appropriate reading selections by choosing four or five books related to the students' interest that are at the appropriate reading level and then letting the student pick from this selection which one they would like to read
5. Students are more motivated to read when they have opportunities to socially interact with others about the text they are reading
- a number of studies have documented that instruction that incorporates social interaction about text increases students' motivation to read and reading comprehension achievement
- teachers could provide opportunities for social interaction such as: talking about books with others; reading together with others; borrowing and sharing books with others; talking about books with peers in class; and, sharing writing about books with others
6. Students are more motivated to read when they have opportunities to be successful with challenging texts
- research indicates that students who believe that they are capable and competent readers are more likely to outperform those who do not hold such beliefs.Struggling readers do not necessarily fail in reading because they lack motivation; they often fail because they do not experience progress and competence.
- teachers could create opportunities for students to successfully read moderately challenging texts by scaffolding instruction and providing descriptive feedback about what the student has successfully accomplished
7. Students are more motivated to read when classroom incentives reflect the value and importance of reading
- constructive and supportive teacher feedback provides a powerful and motivating incentive to learn
- classroom libraries can reflect how much we value reading. Teachers could review their classroom libraries to ensure that the selections are in good condition, current and provide choices that are interesting for students
Some articles from The Reading Teacher may be accessed by non-members at this website http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1936-2714
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